Six Essential Oils You Need For Better Health

Essential oils are becoming an accepted alternative health product to have in your home and first aid kit. Essential oil benefits range from preventing bacteria to deterring flies and helping you sleep.

Understanding Essential Oil Benefits

Here are six essentials oils to use every day to keep your body and mind at top performance and incorporating them in your day-to-day routines.

1. Mānuka Oil

The cousin of the Australian tea tree plant (Leptospermum laevigatum), mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) is the New Zealand native essential oil. Incredibly versatile, it is antifungal and antibacterial, plus it helps with restoring your skin and assisting with scar reduction. You can use it for anything from bruises and insect bites, through to acne and body odour.

As well as being potent, Mānuka Skin Rescue Ointment is gentle on your skin. Easily applied as an ointment, it may reduce rashes and prevent acne. Mānuka oil is also antibacterial, so it is known to provide relief and help the skin's natural rejuvenation process.

2. Lavender Oil

Understanding the essential oil benefits of lavender oil will help ease tensions. A few drops in a bath or onto a pillowslip can help ease tension, aid sleep and alleviate headaches. To keep insects away and your clothes smelling fresh, you can add a few drops to sachets in drawers or wardrobes.

Lavender oil is also is reported as being antifungal and antibacterial. It’s best used with a carrier oil for minor injuries and minor skin irritations.

3. Eucalyptus

The essential oil benefits of Eucalyptus are that it is fantastic for helping with  blocked noses and chest congestion. It may help clear nasal passages, although it could be wise to try this out in small doses first in case it irritates the lungs. Eucalyptus is also a great disinfectant, plus it helps to deter insects. Use in your bench top cleaning routine and say goodbye to flies.

4. Chamomile

A calming cup of chamomile tea soothes and calms; it’s the perfect essential oil after a long, stressful day. The oil has similar properties and can be used as a sleep aide or to help people suffering from anxiety to relax. Using chamomile oil in a diffuser may help calm hyperactive children. It also is very gentle and can be used directly on the skin to treat a number of skin complaints, including rashes, stings, bites and bruises.

5. Clove

Best known for its use with dental issues, diluted clove oil on cotton wool has been used to relieve pain from toothache and gum problems and even lip complaints.

It also can be used to remove or deter fleas. If you have pets, add a few drops to baking soda and sprinkle over your carpet before vacuuming.

6. Citrus

Both grapefruit and lemon essential oils are great antibacterial agents, but will make your skin photosensitive. If you apply the oils to your skin, ensure you stay out of the sun for 12 to 24 hours after application.

Cats don’t like citrus, so a little oil diluted in water and sprayed onto upholstered furniture will dissuade them from using it as a scratch post. Be limited in your use though, as you don’t want your cat to be repelled enough to leave home!

Citrus oils are also excellent antibacterial cleaners, making them ideal for use in the kitchen. In particular, lemon can bleach timber and the acidity will erode some protective surfaces, so consider this before application.

Try one of the world's most powerful and versatile essential oils and pick up our East Cape Mānuka Skin Oil today!